Category: Uttarakhand Flood

Askot An erstwhile princely state, the Himalayan town of Askot is located in Pithoragarh district of the state of Uttarakhand. The town is popular for the Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary, an important site for the conservation of the musk deer. At an elevation of 3,629 ft, Panchuli and Chiplakot peaks form the backdrop for Askot. The town has Nepal to the east, Almora to the west, Pithoragarh to the south and Tibet to the north. The spectacular natural beauty with the Kumaon range forming a stunning backdrop is bound mesmerize you completely. Do not

Mother nature’s anger have never spared anyone..Be it then Uttarakhand’s heavy downpour or Gujarat’s recent floods. This is the poem in form of questions to clouds..Enjoy.. O clouds! What were you trying to communicate? ********************************** Suddenly intensifying your army, precipitating heavily, flashing and buzzing, O clouds, what were you communicating? Were you crying, grieving and wailing to see the deteriorating condition of our country? were you raising your voice against the discrimination and divisions in

In the penultimate part of the Uttarkhand Floods series, Chandan Das wonders about why India can’t foresee a terror strike or a natural disaster! Why do Indians act only after lives are lost, and even after that, simply engage in blame-games instead of learning lessons? How does the Meadow flower its bloom unfold? Because the lovely little flower is free down to its root, and in that freedom bold – William Wordsworth Wanna hear some numbers?

Chandan Das connects the dots between the negative impact of human intervention in the Himalayan ecosystem and the wrath of Nature as we have seen in the form of Uttarakhand Floods! Of all that is most beauteous, imaged there In happier beauty; more pellucid streams, An ampler ether, a diviner air, And fields invested with purpureal gleams. – William Wordsworth Never Tamper with the Nature!! All of us believe that the Holy Ganga is like

Chandan Das delves into the fact that in an agricultural economy where early monsoons should come as a pleasant surprise, catches us unprepared — despite all the warnings! Ah, what a warning for a thoughtless man, Could field or grove, could any spot of earth, Show to his eye an image of the pangs Which it hath witnessed,-render back an echo Of the sad steps by which it hath been trod! – William Wordsworth Development?? Uttarakhand is a DECADE

In the fifth part of the series, Chandan Das explores the farce behind the flood control measures, which eventually led to this large scale disaster! That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind. – William Wordsworth PLAN YOUR “PLANS”!! The National

Excerpt from my diary entry – 9th April 2013 Crazy limbs bound in harem pants and loose shirt, flying in all direction, eyes brimmed with tears, cold breeze slapping on cheeks to wake me up…but I was lost. I was lost with the crowd underneath tri- color canopy next to Ganga Ghat. While we were busy releasing our caged inner soul from turmoil’s of hunger and quenches of daily life there was somebody enjoying show

Chandan Das wonders about the reason due to which we were not able to take requisite action despite Nature giving us timely warnings, in the fourth part of the Uttarakhand Floods series. “For I have learned to look on nature, not as in the hour of thoughtless youth, but hearing oftentimes the still, sad music of humanity.” – William Wordsworth UTTARAKHAND is PRONE to Natural Disasters: So what? Ok I agree to the fact that

In the third part of the Uttarakhand Flood series, Chandan Das discusses how hydel projects have been undertaken without assessing the environmental impact. The world is too much with us; late and soon, getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours. –William Wordsworth HYDEL ENERGY PROJECTS: “Energy” Wasted!! Remember how the Ganga warriors had claimed earlier that the Central government was not serious about keeping its assurance

“And much it grieved my heart to think what man has made of man” – William Wordsworth Ok I will start with a Fact: The Himalayan region is home to several major Hindu pilgrimage centres – beginning from Rishikesh and Haridwar where the River Ganga first flows out into the plains. Every year thousands go to do the Char Dham Yatra. On 15th June 2013 a calamity “Himalayan tsunami” arrived and a tragedy struck Uttarakhand that was